Top Items:
Ken Thomas / Associated Press:
PAUL: TRADE WITH CUBA ‘PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA’ — WASHINGTON (AP) — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul said Thursday that starting to trade with Cuba “is probably a good idea” and that the lengthy economic embargo against the communist island “just hasn't worked.” — Paul became the first potential …
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Politico:
Obama libre — The last five weeks of the president's year were better than almost all the rest. — If President Barack Obama's year ended in November, it would have been one of the worst of his presidency. — Good thing he had the last five weeks. — Story Continued Below
Discussion:
The Federalist, National Review, Hot Air, The Hill, Daily Kos, Weekly Standard and Bloomberg View
Washington Post:
Obama gives the Castro regime in Cuba an undeserved bailout — IN RECENT months, the outlook for the Castro regime in Cuba was growing steadily darker. The modest reforms it adopted in recent years to improve abysmal economic conditions had stalled, due to the regime's refusal to allow Cubans greater freedoms.
Daniel W. Drezner / Washington Post:
Every big question you have about the U.S. opening to Cuba, answered — So by now I'm sure you're aware that the Obama administration and Cuba's communist regime have pledged to restore diplomatic ties through a variety of means, which include an exchange of prisoners …
Steve Benen / msnbc.com:
Republicans hardly unanimous on new Cuba policy
Republicans hardly unanimous on new Cuba policy
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, The Atlantic Online, Politico, The Dish, The Hill, Daily Kos, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion and Hinterland Gazette
Lauren French / Politico:
How Republicans could stop Obama's Cuba play
How Republicans could stop Obama's Cuba play
Discussion:
American Prospect, Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Alternet, The Mahablog and FiveThirtyEight
Katie Glueck / Politico:
Paul backs opening up to Cuba, breaking with others in GOP
Paul backs opening up to Cuba, breaking with others in GOP
Discussion:
Outside the Beltway, Weekly Standard, Hit & Run and National Review
Robert Menendez / USA Today:
Sen. Menendez: One-sided deal rewards Cuba regime
Sen. Menendez: One-sided deal rewards Cuba regime
Discussion:
Hit & Run, Fox News, Scared Monkeys, OnPolitics, Real Clear Politics and Washington Post
Fox News:
Congressional critics ready to block Obama push to normalize Cuban relations
Congressional critics ready to block Obama push to normalize Cuban relations
Discussion:
VodkaPundit, Slantpoint, Bloomberg and Fox News Insider
Jonathan D. Salant / New Jersey Online:
Menendez on Obama Cuba deal: ‘I think it stinks’
Menendez on Obama Cuba deal: ‘I think it stinks’
Discussion:
BuzzFeed
Dan Roberts / Guardian:
US-Cuba deal: a marriage 18 months in the making, blessed by Pope Francis
US-Cuba deal: a marriage 18 months in the making, blessed by Pope Francis
Discussion:
Althouse
Alicia A. Caldwell / Associated Press:
New ties with Cuba won't change immigration rules
New York Times:
Mr. Obama's Historic Move on Cuba
Mr. Obama's Historic Move on Cuba
Discussion:
Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, RedState, Washington Post, The Huffington Post, Gawker, Addicting Info, Politico and Fausta's Blog
Eli Lake / Bloomberg View:
Obama Gives Rubio a Gift From Cuba
Obama Gives Rubio a Gift From Cuba
Discussion:
New York Times, The Hugh Hewitt Show, Daily Kos, Facebook, BREITBART.COM, Washington Post and Reuters
Boston Public Radio / WGBH News:
‘Governor, This Is Barack Obama, Formerly Of Somerville.’ … For the past eight years, Deval Patrick has joined Jim Braude and Margery Eagan on the radio each month to field calls from listeners. On Thursday, he joined the hosts of Boston Public Radio for the final time as governor of Massachusetts.
Discussion:
Mediaite, Bloomberg Politics, Washington Post, Political Wire, New York Times, New York Magazine and The Huffington Post
Jaclyn Hendricks / New York Post:
Kim Jong-un death scene from ‘The Interview’ leaks online — Well, that was fast. — Right on the heels of Sony's announcement that the studio would be scrapping the Christmas Day release of “The Interview,” the film's controversial climax has surfaced. — The scene features North …
Discussion:
Deadline and The PJ Tatler
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Erik Hayden / Hollywood Reporter:
Texas Theater to Show ‘Team America’ In Place of ‘The Interview’
Texas Theater to Show ‘Team America’ In Place of ‘The Interview’
Discussion:
The Daily Beast, Hit & Run, Bloomberg Politics, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, Talking Points Memo, Slate, American Spectator, National Review, CNN, Tech Times, Associated Press, Mediaite, Addicting Info, Hot Air, New York Times, Gawker, The Hill, Taylor Marsh, CNNMoney.com, Nerdist, The Huffington Post, Truth Revolt, The Moderate Voice, Jezebel, The Verge and The Daily Caller
RT:
US servicemen in first ground battle with ISIS - Kurdish media — American forces were involved in their first ground battle with Islamic State fighters, according to Kurdish media outlet Shafaq News, near the Ain Al-Assad base in the Anbar province of Iraq early Sunday. The report could not be independently verified.
Discussion:
Liberaland and Weekly Standard
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Lolita C. Baldor / Associated Press:
Top Islamic militants killed; more US troops going to Iraq
Robert Schmidt / Bloomberg Politics:
Lawrence Summers' $28 Million Payday, Courtesy of Elizabeth Warren — Senator Elizabeth Warren famously declared “there is nobody in this country who got rich on his own.” — That truism presumably includes President Barack Obama's former economic chief Lawrence Summers …
Discussion:
Booman Tribune
Ronald Brownstein / National Journal:
Jeb Bush's 2016 Move Fuels Democratic Debate — If he captures the GOP nomination—and a share of the minority vote—Democrats will urgently need to boost their appeal among whites. — Jeb Bush's announcement this week that he will “actively explore” a 2016 presidential candidacy adds …
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Megan Murphy / Financial Times:
Jeb Bush's web of interests face scrutiny as he ‘explores’ presidential bid
Jeb Bush's web of interests face scrutiny as he ‘explores’ presidential bid
Discussion:
Politico, Bloomberg Politics, OnPolitics and Talking Points Memo
Marc Ambinder / The Week:
What the media gets wrong about Jeb Bush
What the media gets wrong about Jeb Bush
Discussion:
Bloomberg View and National Review
Garth Kant / WND:
GOP LEGEND QUITS CONGRESS WITH MESSAGE FOR AMERICA — 'I don't know who's happier to see me leave, Pelosi or Boehner' — Garth Kant is WND Washington news editor. Previously, he spent five years writing, copy-editing and producing at “CNN Headline News,” three years writing …
Discussion:
Raw Story and Right Wing Watch
Alice Robb / The New Republic:
Watching Colbert Makes Conservatives Even More Conservative — After nine years hosting one of the most popular comedy programs on air, it's hard to remember a time when Stephen Colbert might have been mistaken for the kind of conservative commentator he satires.
Discussion:
Slantpoint
Nick Hanauer / Politico:
The Pitchforks Are Coming... For Us Plutocrats — To: My Fellow Zillionaires — You probably don't know me, but like you I am one of those .01%ers, a proud and unapologetic capitalist. I have founded, co-founded and funded more than 30 companies across a range of industries …
Julia Marsh / New York Post:
Catsimatidis' daughter files for divorce from husband of 3 years — Andrea Catsimatidis and Christopher Cox tour the Great Wall of China in 2013. — This political love match was not made to last. — Andrea Catsimatidis, daughter of billionaire grocer and failed mayoral candidate John Catsimatidis …
Discussion:
American Spectator and Washington Free Beacon
CNN:
Officials: Boko Haram kidnaps 185 women and children, kills 32 people — Kano, Nigeria (CNN) — Boko Haram insurgents kidnapped at least 185 women and children, and killed 32 people in a raid in northeastern Nigeria this week, local officials and residents said.
Discussion:
The Daily Caller
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Lanre Ola / Reuters:
Suspected Boko Haram gunmen kidnap 100 women, children in Nigeria
Suspected Boko Haram gunmen kidnap 100 women, children in Nigeria
Discussion:
Gawker and Shakesville
Joe Arnold / WHAS-TV:
Grimes pledges legal challenge if Paul attempts simultaneous races — Alison Lundergan Grimes says she will challenge Senator Rand Paul if he tries to get on the ballot for both Senate re-election and president — FRANKFORT, Ky. (WHAS11) — Six weeks after she lost her own bid for the U-S Senate …
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James Hohmann / Politico:
Alison Lundergan Grimes: Rand Paul can't run for president and Senate
Alison Lundergan Grimes: Rand Paul can't run for president and Senate
Discussion:
American Spectator and WHAS-TV
Business Wire:
Amazon Introduces Prime Now: One-Hour Delivery on Tens of Thousands of Daily Essentials Exclusively for Prime Members — Prime Now launches in Manhattan today with plans to expand to additional cities in 2015 — SEATTLE—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced Prime Now …
Discussion:
The Verge, Mashable and New York Magazine
Jazz Shaw / Hot Air:
In Vermont, single-payer healthcare quietly disappears — If you're looking for a state with a reliable Leftward tilt, you'd be hard pressed to do better than Vermont. After all, this is the place which has repeatedly elected Bernie Sanders - a man who considers the Democrat Party …
Discussion:
Burlington Free Press, Campaign for America's Future, Liberaland, Ed Driscoll, Hit & Run, Politico and VodkaPundit
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Sarah Hurtubise / The Daily Caller:
Vermont's Giving Up On Single-Payer Health Care Over Ballooning Costs
Vermont's Giving Up On Single-Payer Health Care Over Ballooning Costs
Discussion:
American Spectator and The Huffington Post
Azi Paybarah / Capital New York:
At private meeting, union head tells officers to use ‘extreme discretion’ — Police union leader Pat Lynch is telling officers to use “extreme discretion,” in response to what he said was a lack support from City Hall and Washington in the wake of a grand jury decision not to indict an officer in the death of Eric Garner last month.
Discussion:
Gothamist, The Gateway Pundit, Slate and Mediaite
Associated Press:
President signs legislation ending Nazi benefit checks — WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Thursday capped a swift and forceful response to an Associated Press investigation by signing into law a measure that bars suspected Nazi war criminals from receiving U.S. Social Security benefits.